Their Arrangement
by ScaryRei
Summary: Konan and Pain have an arrangement out of necessity. One shot, mature for sexual themes but not explicit.


Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

This hasn't been beta'd, I apologize in advance.

* * *

Their Arrangement

It was always the same.

She would gaze into his eyes… only his eyes, while he took in the sight of her in her entirety. He stared at her and admired everything about her. Her distinctive hair color, her silver blue eyes, her crimson lips, her slender fingers as she unzipped the heavy Akatsuki robe and slid it off her shoulders… the pale skin of her neck, now exposed, as well as her ample bosom clad in a skin-tight black halter top. She was an angel, _his _beautiful angel and a gift from the heavens.

He reached up to touch her shoulder and to pull her closer to him. Her skin felt warm; it always did against his. As usual, she seemed hesitant, letting out a long, quiet sigh before closing her eyes and letting herself be enveloped in his embrace.

"We can stop… if you don't want to." He whispered, trying to reassure her.

"It's not that, it's just…" her words faded as another distressed sigh escaped her lips. "It's still a little awkward, you know?" she faced down towards the floor, eyes still squeezed shut, avoiding his gaze

"Yeah…" stroking the small of her back gently, he did his best to reassure her.

It was always this way; it was always the same. Awkward for both of them, as they tried to navigate their way through their respective emotional landmines.

Finally, she opened her eyes again and peered into his. The pain in her eyes was obvious. They both knew it couldn't be helped, right? There really was no other way, was there? She was a woman after all. A woman with needs, a woman who craved a man's touch – at least once in a while. That was normal, wasn't it? This was better than enlisting the cooperation of some stranger, was it not?

What she wouldn't give to be held in _his_ arms one more time, to feel _his_ warm body pressed against hers.

She let out another strangled sigh as she pressed her fingers to her nose bridge. Konan felt she was once again over-analyzing the situation. They had long ago agreed that as odd and uncomfortable as it may be, this was the least distasteful arrangement given their present circumstances.

* * *

They were always together, the three of them – war orphans who had banded together in order to survive the harsh world. It was just the three of them, watching each other's back and doing what they could to eek out a meager life. They were ten years old when they had a chance encounter with Jiraiya. Initially, Jiraiya had decided to take care of them until they were old enough to properly fend for themselves. His discovery of Nagato's rinnegan changed that; after witnessing Nagato's kekkeigenkai, Jiraiya decide to train the trio in the ninja arts. Within three years, the trio became a formidable force; highly skilled ninjas, ready to defend themselves and take to on high-ranking missions.

She thought back on how they used to be. Yahiko was the extrovert of the group; tall and handsome, he was popular with everyone, especially the girls. Although he wasn't the most eloquent talker, he had a natural, easy-going way of putting people at ease. Nagato was the introvert, quiet but possessing a highly analytical mind. He was the one who negotiated the terms of their work as mercenary ninjas. Nagato often pondered on esoteric topics; such as the meaning and purpose of life or why in facing life's hardships, some men devolved into mere savages while others elevated themselves to a higher, noble standard.

Maybe it was due to all his intellectual conversations, but Konan found herself inexplicably drawn to Nagato and his shy smile. She loved her boys both, however, she began to feel giddy every time she thought of Nagato. As much as she tried to keep her feelings to herself, she knew how perceptive Nagato was; eventually he would figure out her crush on him. She sincerely hoped that that was all that it was for Konan did not wish to do anything that may jeopardize their close-knit group.

But the heart has a will of its own. Despite telling herself repeatedly what a bad idea it was to pursue anything romantic with Nagato, her emotions overtook her and one day, she confessed her love to him. Much to her surprise, Nagato reciprocated her feelings. However, they were both concerned about Yahiko, not wanting to disrupt the comfortable balance that united the three together. Nagato and Konan agreed that although they were romantically interested in each other, they should forget about it if Yahiko was not favorable to the idea. So it was much to their relief when Yahiko was genuinely happy for them, congratulating the couple for finally seeing what was "obvious" to everyone else around them.

* * *

Pain.

To accept pain, to know pain… that was the one truth that he understood. All the pain he encountered, all the pain that he accepted was what had shaped him into the man that he was today.

To understand another person is to share a common pain, a similar tragedy or suffering. God knows he's shared a lifetime of pain with his partner. Yet, every time he embraced her, a fresh agony tore through him – he was reminded that even in his wasted state, his heart continued to ache.

He admires her flushed complexion, as beads of sweat form on her skin. She's beautiful – a blushing rose covered with dew. Every time he hears her mewling and moaning in an orgasmic rush, he is reminded that the flip side of love is pain; love always leads to pain. Ecstasy and agony, longing and suffering … she begs for release and with a final he thrust, he holds her tight and pours all his love and pain into her.

They remain entwined afterwards but he knows that she'll slip out of his arms as soon as her breathing calms. But for now, he can still hold on – hold on and dream of a tranquil moment with his angel.

But as always she slips away, their moment together gone like the gossamer dreams that melt at dawn. Her eyes are cast afar as she moves from him, pulling the sheets closer to her body. Once, he had asked her why she was so uncomfortable with the situation – aside from the obvious reasons, that is. Konan replied that she felt guilty about using Yahiko's body is such a base way, simply to satisfy her needs.

"I feel like I'm defiling his memory, you know? He would have never wanted anything like this. If he were here, he would never have consent to something like this."

_How little did she know_, Nagato thought with a bitter snicker, as he reflected on the irony of their situation.

Corpses weren't supposed to have memories, right? I mean, once you're dead, that's it. Done. Finished. The soul departs from the flesh, floats away from the confines of this world and flutters off to lord-knows-where, while the body remains – lifeless, cold and unmoving. Unmoving, that is, unless a corpse handler such as himself decides to inject chakra rods into said flesh to be manipulated like a marionette.

For Nagato, the corpses were mere tools to be manipulated, similar to how Sasori manipulated his dolls. No one expects dolls to possess memories. He had not expected a corpse to possess memories, and yet…

_Flashback_

It was a warm spring day. Deva Pain (as Nagato controlling Yahiko's body) and Konan were strolling along the main avenue in Amegakure when Konan decided that she wanted to eat some dango. They found a shop and went inside. Taking a seat on a rickety old bench, Konan ordered their dango and tea. Maybe it was the balmy weather or the thought of eating her favorite sweets, Konan seemed relaxed for the first time in a long while.

"Remember the time Jiraiya-sama took us to eat dango?" she giggled at the memory.

"You mean the time he dumped us at the dango shop to ogle at some buxom waitress," retorted Pain.

"Yeah, that time. He didn't even realize that he gave you all his money until later. I don't think I've eaten that much dango ever!" Konan laughed so hard, her eyes started to water.

"Served him right, ditching us like that." That day, the three of them pigged out on the money that Jiraiya had left with them, spending almost all of it.

It was then, that he noticed… a tingling sensation, dizziness akin to vertigo, as though the ground he stood upon suddenly shifted… and then he saw it. A memory of that day, the three of them laughing and eating their fill at the dango shop. Strangely, the memory seemed foreign, even though Nagato remembered that day with perfect clarity. He saw a younger Konan, smiling as she munched on another piece of dango. Her smile was so bright; bright enough to light up the whole room; no, bright enough to illuminate the whole universe! An overwhelming feeling of longing filled his heart – he wanted so much to reach over and touch the smiling Konan. Then, he saw a younger version of himself seated next to Konan, quietly sipping a cup of tea. Suddenly, the longing became tempered, mixed with guilt and shame… as if wanting Konan was somehow forbidden. Wait… something was amiss in this picture. Where was Yahiko…? With a jolt, Nagato realized that this was _Yahiko's perspective_. This was Yahiko's memory that he was reliving.

_So does that mean he…? But, he said he was fine with the two of them together, he said he was happy for them… But if these memories _are_ in fact his, then that means… all that time…_

The dizziness escalated into nausea and Pain abruptly covered his mouth, fearing that he would vomit right then and there.

"Hey, are you alright?" Konan rushed over to Pain, patting and rubbing his back with concern.

"Yeah…yeah, I'm fine. Just got a bit dizzy for a moment there." said Pain, as he tried to brush off the episode.

"Are you sure? Pain… is everything okay?" skeptically, she asked again.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Everything's fine." He straightened himself, even making a show of dusting off the front of this cloak to drive the point home.

"…If you say so…" Konan glanced worriedly at him, seemingly unconvinced.

"See, fit as a fiddle," said Pain, as he popped a piece of dango in his mouth.

"Hmm. As God decrees." Konan snorted sarcastically.

"Yes, the all-knowing God states so," smirked Pain, as he played along with Konan's flippant remark.

"I swear, sometimes you are so full of it. C'mon, let's go. Maybe getting some fresh air might help with whatever's ailing you."

_Yes, indeed_, thought Nagato, as he stood up from the rickety bench, walked out of the dango shop and looked up at the clear, blue skies that were the color of Yahiko's eyes.

The End

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Author's note:

Reading Naruto manga chapter 436 reminded me of one of my favorite short stories – "The Meathouse Man" by George R.R. Martin. It's one of Martin's earlier works; very sci-fi, gritty and raw, and it still haunts me. Somehow between these two stories, this plot bunny popped out.

P.S. I started writing this about a week after I read Chapter 436 – so yeah, that's how long I've been kicking this around. Ouch.

P.P.S. In the manga, Yahiko's eyes are blue. I've been told that they were brown in the anime. Oh, well. I haven't been keeping up with the anime, only manga.

First Draft: May 9, 2009


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